Hello Handen

Hello hello errybody! Wow, sounds like you all had a blast for the 24th of July. Thank you to the pioneers. What great examples they are for us! It was a very hot week (major heat wave for Sweden), but really good, saying goodbye to friends and making new ones.

Mån: We met a woman who invited us over for some cheesecake. And boy was it good cheesecake! She isn't interested in the church but we kind of snuck in some stuff about the church whilst talking. I visited B for my last time. Im sad to leave him, but I know he will be baptized and all will be well. I feel very strongly about this man and like I was meant to find him. We had FHE with D and S and discussed about priorities in life. When God is first, everything else just falls into place where they need to be. Not necessarily where we want them to be, but it all works out. I love those 2 so much. They are the best. We got joking around that me and my future wife would take them to Hawaii if they took us to Sardegna -an island off of Italy. Sounds good to me!

Good trade: 4 ties for these goggles.

Tis: I finished my packing in a relatively decent amount of time. All of my bags were stuffed to the brim, super heavy and tight. Plus I had my backpack and shoulder bag and my ukulele as well. Whew! Crazy! We went to visit all my investigators and K, who I baptized, to say good bye.  Then went to M -I gave him 4 ties and then he gave me some goggles. Good trade off. I told him Im gonna keep track of him and his reading so he holds onto the challenge I gave him. We were then chilling at the apartment, about to go to bed when we receive a phone call from the office elders saying that Elder M, elder A's new comp, had been waiting at the station for awhile for us. We had been told that he wasn't coming until Wednesday, Oops. Luckily we live right next to the station so it's all good:)

Ons: I have been starting my spanish studies and I have actually contacted people on the street speaking spanish! I took all of my stuff to the train station, waved goodbye to the Tuna and was on my way. It was sad to leave but I said a prayer and told God that I have done my best here and I had a great feeling of satisfaction and peace. I have no regrets. I slept most of the way and then met up with Elder L -my companion. We live in a 4 man which is actually a lot of fun. The apartment is very nice. We went right away to a member dinner -we get those a lot here which is exciting ha!

My new home and companion

Tors: So in Handen ward we have 2 sets of elders. The ward boundaries are the smallest in all of Europe!!! Crazy! It's a big ward, but a tiny proselyting area. We handle Jordbro, which literally means Earth Bridge, and it makes sense because there are many immigrants here, so perfect for missionary work:) We also work a lot with YSAs, and that is so helpful. We had 2 teaches this day with YSA member present. The first was W. She is from the Middle East but has lived most of her life in Finland. She was supposed to get baptized last month but her family didn't approve. We will be patient and just give her the encouragement and support she needs.

Then there is G, who is 19 from Bolivia and super ready. A, the YSA who found him, will be leaving on his mission soon and will get to baptize him right before he leaves.  No better way to start a mission, eh? We met T,  from Iran, who grew up in Sweden. His son has been asking a lot of questions like "what do we believe in" and that got wanting to find the truth. Man, what a great first day! 3 awesome people to teach!!

Fre: Correlation meeting with our recently returned missionary, mission leader Brother O.  He is super awesome. Working with him is nice because now I don't have to worry about the other stuff and I can focus on teaching people -my calling. At district meeting we each told our conversion story. It was powerful. Most people are gone on semester-vacation until late August but we have a lot of potential here and I'm super stoked! I serenaded the boys with my ukulele skills tonight. Im getting pretty good eh.

Lör: We taught a member who has never been to the temple since he was baptized years ago. We are making a goal with him to get there. We had a little bbq with a member M from Philippines, who loves the missionaries. We played soccer with her autistic son who is super awesome! Playing soccer on a turf field felt so good:) ! We met W again at the church. I love teaching at the church because the spirit is already there. Our church is the one right next to the temple! So I will be able to go to the temple soon. It has been a year since I have been and I am needing it. Do not take that for granted those of you who live near a temple.

Sön: We don't have church until 1 which I find to be less productive. Oh well, I make the best of it and get all of my studies in. We made it to church in a most random rainstorm. We got pretty soaked but it felt nice. G and W were both at church! Man, it was weird having a big huge ward again. Its been ages like ive seen tons of people in church and going from 2 hour church to 3 hour was pretty hard hahaha;) Afterwards we went out to contact and swingby some people. We do not have a car because we are in the greater Stockholm area and our bus/train cards take us everywhere we need to go.

Well, it's been a good couple of days so far and I'm super stoked for the future. I miss Eskilstuna but the future looks bright indeed. Im grateful for the opportunity to be and serve here. I love this gospel. I know its true. I love you all, have a great week! -elder johnson